2 years ago I went to Specsavers and got new glasses (expensive, graduated focal length, transitions). A year later the lenses had become abraded, which I put down to my own fault, and replaced them at Specsavers. This time I was *very* careful with them but, 1 year later, the lenses had again become abraded, making my screen hard to see. I've just replaced them again, but not with Specsavers, and have my fingers crossed.

Are there different hardnesses of spectacle lenses -- does someone out there know? I have a friend who had much the same trouble with the same supplier, except his lenses simply crazed. Anyone got any words of wisdom, except caveat saver?

Yes, there are different types. My main lenses are Leica, they're very clear and reasonably scratch resistant, but I have scratched one lens after dropping it onto hard ground a few times. Cheaper lenses will break more quickly.

Most of SpecSavers frames seem poor quality to me, and the expensive ones just look rubbish. Got some decent ones from 39dollarglasses.com but they got the prescription wrong so I returned them.

I have just got some glasses (2 for the price of 1) from specsavers, just reading ones for computer work and reading. The frames were the most expensive titanium ones, specsavers brand, and got a coating to reduce glare from computer screen. I got titanium because I am regularly taking them on and off, and wanted something light weight. They do seem pretty good quality. My old glasses frames lasted me over 18 years, and are still fine, they are also titanium. Very strong and light. Never had a problem with lenses. Spec savers though do have a 2 year warranty so if the lenses are failing from normal use you should get them to look at them. Are you regularly cleaning them or something?

Mattwnz - when I took the first pair back (at 1 year), they were clear that I must have done something bad. And maybe I did -- went on a winter trip to Europe, pretty gritty, I guess. So I accepted their verdict, and was, as I said, very careful to clean them with the supplied cloth and cleaner over the next year, to no avail.

Timmmay - actually the frames I got from SS are still excellent, so I put the new >$1000 Nikon lenses into them!

I have IC Berlin frames, which are excellent. They have no hinges - the frame design creates the hinge - and are laser cut from spring steel. Best frames I have had in 30 or so years of wearing glasses.

The lenses are Hoya with the best coatings they offer and were about $600 per eye. Complete, about $2000 for the pair of glasses.

Now about 12 months old and still unmarked in any significant way, worn 75% of the time, all day. I wear daily contacts too but since they are not progressive, I have to wear reading specs if I have them in.

The greatest longevity I've got from any pair of glasses is that of a Specsavers pair made in 2009 and still fitting well.

They worked out a bit cheaper than at home, but not by an order of magnitude.

I'd go back to that Specsavers shop if I could be assured of seeing that same optometrist. (Different city that I haven't visited in years, so not likely)

SWMBO and I have attended the same optometry practice, a well regarded non-discount practice, for quite a few years now, and she especially has had to have a lot of gear replaced under warranty. The practice that we attend do so without argument.

My point: don't blame poor manufacturing quality on Specsavers; do insist that whoever you deal with stands behind their product.

Standard prices seem to be at about the same (or less than) Specsavers' sales - much less than their standard pricing. Frame choices perhaps lacking the designer names, but quality seems good. No complaints about service from the optician, full eye exam and followup including thoroughly checking fit etc after the glasses arrived - very important with astigmatism and graduated bifocals.

I spoke with a local independent optician and was quoted close to $1500 for a single pair of glasses with high density lenses.

I'm wearing a pair I got made in Beijing that cost under NZD $120 with HD lenses, but sadly after 3.5 years of wear I now need to replace.

Compared with Specsavers in the UK our local shops are expensive but still a hell of a lot cheaper than the smaller independents, so what do you do if you want to avoid a $1000 plus bill?

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat New Zealand as a Solution Architect for all things Linux, Virtual and of course Cloud. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

In Auckland my recommendation really is to go to the Auckland Uni Clinic, you get a final year student + qualified optician doing the tests & dispensing, and they use pretty good lenses (certainly prefer them over the SpecSavers ones I've had in the past).

I spoke with a local independent optician and was quoted close to $1500 for a single pair of glasses with high density lenses.

I'm wearing a pair I got made in Beijing that cost under NZD $120 with HD lenses, but sadly after 3.5 years of wear I now need to replace.

Compared with Specsavers in the UK our local shops are expensive but still a hell of a lot cheaper than the smaller independents, so what do you do if you want to avoid a $1000 plus bill?

If you have your prescription, and your PD (pupillary distance), 39DollarGlasses or Clearly.co.nz do a good job. I have three or four pairs from both, and each pair has been fine.

I get my prescription done at Specsavers (on the AA deal, every two years), but they never have any frames that fit my face. I tell them I am getting my glasses off the web because they don't stock anything that fits me (same with shoe stores by the way, why do they stop at size 12??)

few people have shoe sizes over 12, so not worth the shops having stock on hand all the time (though this is slowly changing) and the same for faces... i guess yours is outside their "normal" range and they cant be bothered to have a range of designs in your size?

This is exactly where online stores come into their own, catering to specialist clients without needing a specialist shop presence in every town. Imagine what hoops the previous generations had to jump though if they were 'outside the norm'... custom made clothes and shoes for pounds instead of pennies or go without!